Promises
by Patricia Sage
Summary: It's Blaine's sixth birthday and Cooper has to watch over him until their parents get home. Anderbros shenanigans and fluff. Cutiepie!Blaine, teenager!Cooper.


**Promises**

**Author's Note: Hi there! This was inspired by a tweet from Cooper_GLEE saying "I convinced my brother that our dad was planning to give him up for adoption on his sixth birthday. #ConfessionNight" And then a plot bunny grew into a MONSTROUS GODZILLA PLOT BUNNY. So I wrote this.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not getting any profit outta this…I wish I was, though. I'd charge $5 a Fanfiction and then I'd get…$310. That would be pretty decent. But, I'm getting off track. Don't own anything!**

Cooper Anderson was bored.

Like, really bored.

Understandably, he was a sixteen-year-old boy babysitting his little brother until their parents returned. So, he kind of had a right to be bored. At least, that's what he told himself.

It was Blaine's sixth birthday and the little boy was sitting on the living room floor, playing with a Transformer he had gotten as a gift from his dad. He couldn't get it to turn back into a car, so he just slid the humanoid robot across the carpet making _vroom_ noises.

"You're supposed to fold it into a car, stupid," Cooper called from where he was sprawled on the couch, attempting to watch TV.

Blaine looked up with wide hazel eyes, the noise dying on his lips. He had a green party hat perched on top of his head, making his wild curls stick out in all directions. "But, Coop, I tried. It's hard."

Cooper scoffed at his brother's helpless act. "Give it here," he said. The show on television was a re-run, anyway.

Blaine scampered over, grinning. "Thanks, Cooper!" he said, handing the toy to him and giving the older boy a trusting look. Cooper debated taking it away from him just to wipe that stupidly cute look off his face, but he wasn't that cruel.

He sighed, looking at the plastic toy in his hand. "Alright, Optimus," he muttered, "Let's transform you back into a car."

"Actually, that one's Bumblebee," Blaine said, bouncing on his toes, "It said on the package. Plus, he's yellow."

Cooper rolled his eyes. "Thank you, mister know-it-all," he said, and Blaine giggled, crawling up on the couch. The older boy refused to move his legs, but Blaine simply wriggled into the space between his brother and the back of the couch. He leaned against Cooper's knees and watched carefully as his brother examined the Transformer.

Bumblebee did not want to transform back into a car. "Work, stupid thing!" Cooper exclaimed after several minutes. He could get it into a half-presentable vehicle, but it refused to fold easily.

"Don't worry, Cooper! You can do it 'cause you can do anything! That's what you told me, right?" Blaine said, bouncing on the couch and still watching eagerly. Cooper scowled and continued to rattle with the piece of plastic in his hands. He didn't want to break it, but it wasn't working for him.

"I guess I did tell you that, didn't I?" he muttered, blue eyes intent.

"Mhm." Blaine continued to watch his big brother, expecting the car to be drivable. He hummed a couple of songs in a quiet voice as he waited patiently. "You know, if you can't get it, that's okay too, right?" he said, after a few moments of Cooper swearing under his breath, "Because, I know you tried really hard."

Cooper sighed, glancing up to see his endlessly optimistic brother sprawled on his legs. "You know what," the older boy said, "I think driving a car is stupid. Bumblebee does too; that's why he doesn't want to transform into one."

Blaine took the proffered toy with a satisfied noise and made it move around on Cooper's long legs. "Yeah. And, walking is good for you. That's what Mom says."

"Exactly," Cooper said.

Blaine tilted his head curiously, "Hey, is that why you didn't get your driver's license? Because you think driving's stupid?"

The older boy nodded, "Yep. Exactly." The real reason was that he couldn't parallel park to save his life. Cooper then reached over, flicking the party hat on his brother's head so that it fell onto his back, the string still attached around his neck.

"Hey!" Blaine said, putting it crookedly on top of his curls once more. "It's my birthday; Mom said you gotta be nice!"

Cooper grinned. "Mom's not here, is she?" he asked wickedly before lunging across the couch at his brother. The Transformer fell to the ground and the air was filled with laughter as Blaine was tickled mercilessly.

"C-Cooper! Stop it!" he shrieked, scrambling off the couch and running to hide behind the Christmas tree in the middle of the living room. Blaine had a late December birthday, so their house was decorated accordingly. The little boy really liked it, actually. He got more cookies at this time of year.

The teenager chuckled a little as Blaine eyed him warily through the fake branches. Cooper turned back to the TV and continued to watch, ignoring his little brother. The six-year-old eventually relaxed and sat cross-legged on the carpet again. Blaine almost started to sing _Jingle Bells_, but stopped himself. He always got the words wrong and then Cooper would make him stop and correct him. Blaine didn't like that. He wished they could just sing stuff together.

"Hey, Coop?" he said tentatively after a could minutes of silence.

"What's up, Squirt?"

Blaine ran his fingers through the soft rug. "Do you still wanna be an actor?"

Cooper stopped watching TV and looked thoughtfully into space. "Yeah. Yeah, I do, kiddo."

"But Mom and Dad don't think you should." It was more of a statement than a question.

The teenager sighed, "No, they don't. But, they just want the best for me."

Blaine tilted his head like a puppy. "But, doesn't acting make you happy?" Cooper nodded. "Then, shouldn't you do it?"

Cooper looked up then. He gazed steadily at his brother for a few moments and Blaine simply looked back at him. Then, the older boy's lips quirked into a small smile. He slid off the couch and sat crossed-legged in front of Blaine. "I like the way you think, kiddo," he said, poking him in the stomach so that the little boy laughed.

"You were really good in your school play this year, Coop," Blaine said, smiling. "I think people way in the back row could even hear you! And you made really big arm movements, so I always knew where you were on the stage!"

"Thanks, B," Cooper said. The little boy scooted closer until he was tight against his older brother's side. "But, you have to know that Mom and Dad only say that stuff because they want me to make good choices."

The green party hat poked Cooper in the shoulder when the younger boy looked up at him. "Why isn't you being an actor a good choice?" he asked.

Cooper looked thoughtful again. "I really don't know, kiddo," he said softly. Then, he wrapped an arm around Blaine's small shoulder, "But I want you to listen to me, okay?"

"Okay."

He looked down at Blaine with steady blue eyes. "When you get older, I want you to follow your heart. If Mom and Dad say otherwise, then don't listen to them. Do what _you_ want to do, not what _they_ want you to do, okay? Unless it's drugs."

Blaine made a face, "Drugs are gross. All the teachers say so."

Cooper nodded, "They're very gross," he said, "But, seriously kid, if you want to be a teacher or a gardener or a singer, don't let anyone tell you that you can't."

Blaine smiled widely, "Okay, Cooper," he said, "But _you_ have to promise _me_ something, too."

"What?"

Blaine nudged his little feet against Cooper's leg, "You have to take your own advice," he said simply, "If you follow your dreams, then I will follow mine." He looked up at his brother with determined hazel eyes. "Pinky promise?"

Cooper looked down at his brother's little hand and chuckled a little. What was he getting himself into? "Pinky promise," he said, locking their smallest fingers around each-other.

"Okay, now I have to get back to watching my show," Cooper said, moving to get up.

"No." Blaine protested, throwing himself on top of Cooper's legs so that the older boy couldn't move them. "It's my birthday and I say you gotta play with me."

Cooper scoffed, then picked up the little boy and moved him, standing up without resistance. Blaine promptly clung to his leg like a monkey. "Blaine, get off." The younger boy shook his head. The party hat fell off and landed on the carpet, but he didn't move to retrieve it. "Blaine. Ugh, fine. I'll play with you."

Blaine let go of Cooper's leg with a smile, "Really?"

"No." The older boy quickly ran away from Blaine before he could grab on again.

"Cooper!"

Cooper fell down on the couch. "Sorry, little bro. Entertain yourself until Mom and Dad get home."

Blaine's lower lip quivered before he remembered that the puppy-dog face didn't work on Cooper. Then, he purposefully marched towards the couch, just as the teenager raised the remote to change the channel. Blaine snatched the remote away before Cooper could do anything, then ran away behind the tree once more.

"Blaine! Give that back!" Cooper exclaimed, pushing himself off the couch. The little boy shrieked as he realized that his older brother was chasing him. He crawled quickly under the wide branches of the tree. There weren't that many presents there yet, so he had enough room to stay a safe distance away from the angry teenager. "Blaine, you'd better come out right now."

"Why?"

Cooper's voice was a warning, "Because Mom and Dad are coming home soon."

"Yeah, so?" Blaine grinned, "They'll see that you're being mean!"

Cooper crouched down and tsked, "No, Blaine. They'll see that you're being bad…again. After the whole jumping on furniture thing last week, this will be the last straw. Nothing will stop them from—…oh, wait. I'm not supposed to tell you."

"Stop them from what?" Blaine was looking at him with worried hazel eyes.

"Well," Cooper sighed, "Dad's gonna put you up for adoption."

"What?!"

"Yeah," the teenager looked really regretful, "You've been such a bad boy lately. He has the papers in his desk in his office; all he has to do is sign them and then…I'll be an only child again."

Blaine gasped, "No, Cooper, I don't wanna be adopted! I'll be good, I promise!"

"Then get out from under the tree and give me the remote."

The younger boy was just inching out from under the tree when they heard the front door open. "Boys, we're home!" Mr. Anderson called out, walking into the living room.

Upon seeing him, Blaine threw the TV remote to the ground and ran at his father. Mr. Anderson quickly set down his shopping bags before getting an armful of a crying little boy. "Please don't put me up for adoption, Dad! I'll be good, I promise! I'm sorry!"

"What?" the man exclaimed, a little bewildered. He hugged Blaine to his shoulder, smoothing his curls down, "What are you talking about, kiddo?"

The little boy sniffed, rubbing his face on his father's sweater, "C-Cooper said that you're gonna put me up for adoption because I jump on furniture. I'm sorry, Daddy, I'll be good! Please don't send me away!"

Mr. Anderson glared at a sheepish-looking Cooper. "Your brother was lying, Blaine," he said gently, though the _we'll talk later_ look that he was giving to his eldest suggested that Cooper would be getting quite the talk. "I'm not going to put you up for adoption."

"You're not?" He looked up at his dad with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Of course not, Squirt. No matter what, you'll always be my son and I'll always love you, okay?" Mr. Anderson said, giving his little boy another hug.

Blaine stared at him with a serious look in his eyes. "Pinky promise?" he asked.

Mr. Anderson smiled, "Pinky promise," he assured, then sealed the deal with the little handshake. "Now, why doesn't the birthday boy go find his mom and look at the cake we got him?"

"Cake?"

Blaine was out of the room in seconds. Mr. Anderson gave Cooper a look. "Adoption? Really?" he said, and the teenager shrugged. The adult looked like he wanted to be mad, but simply shook his head. "Come on, let's go before the kid eats all the cake."

**Author's Second Note: I hope you liked this! :) Please review! xx**

**Take care.**

**-Patricia Sage**


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